Update log
Full X4: Foundations update
The complete published notes, normalized for clean reading and source attribution.
Extracted changes
- Compatibility
- Balance
- Gameplay
- Maps
We're thrilled to kick off the Public Beta for the X4: Foundations"Empire Update" (9.00)! This free major update includes numerous features and reworks that influence how you engage with combat, strategy, and the economy.
The Empire Update includes a balance pass across hundreds of weapons, ships, and shields, alongside sweeping improvements to combat that will put your piloting skills to the test. Combined with other AI improvements, combat will be more dynamic, challenging, and rewarding.
In addition to the comprehensive under-the-hood combat improvements, we've also implemented a highly-requested Priority Orders feature to rapidly issue orders - all the better to smoothly manage your fleet in the midst of the Empire Update's more challenging combat! Not only that, but a new asset pipeline has allowed us to improve the ship visuals and increase loadout variety in update 9.00.
Several impactful non-combat features are arriving with this update: Kha'ak ships can now be recycled into a versatile new ware that adds an additional layer to the economy, while a significant overhaul of the resource area system changes the way new resources emerge after a resource area has been depleted.
This update also includes a new Ship Showroom station module for collectors, upgrades to the UI and map menu, more elaborate NPC stations emphasising faction identity, and more.
Find more details and a full changelog in this news post, and join our Public Beta to experience the update for yourself.
The Empire Update (9.00) is still a work in progress and 9.00 Beta 1 represents the first iteration of several larger gameplay changes that will continue to evolve throughout the Public Beta phase. This update introduces deep systemic changes affecting combat, strategy, and economic gameplay, and may encourage players - especially long-time pilots - to rethink familiar approaches. Development does not stop with the start of the Public Beta; your feedback plays an important role as we continue refining and balancing these systems ahead of the final release. We invite you to share your thoughts in the Public Beta Feedback forum and help us shape the update together. Thank you for your continued support!
How Do I Take Part in the Public Beta? Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 9.00 Public Beta version. In order to ensure that beta participants are aware of the risks and rules involved, we ask all interested players to visit our forum, where they will find the rules and disclaimers, as well as practical instructions for participating in the beta. Follow this link to our forum - no registration required - to find the relevant information.
Combat Mechanics
The biggest changes to the combat system lie under the hood. We have painstakingly worked through a number of minor weapon aiming issues. Each improvement is relatively small by itself, but the compounded effect of this effort should have a significant positive impact on the feel and outcome of combat:
Turret accuracy has been vastly improved.
Destroyers make more use of their main batteries, while also benefiting from steering and turret improvements.
AI pilot aiming is now more organic. Depending on the skill of the pilot, evasive manoeuvres and strafing are more effective at throwing off their aim.
Update 9.00 also includes a host of more obvious combat features:
Ships can now have a weapon heat factor; ships with many guns may, for example, overheat faster.
Similarly, ships can now have shield modifiers for higher capacity or recharge rate.
The main statistics for engines, shields,
Source